There is an image in my mind which was planted in the earliest dawn of my memory, and which I hope will remain with me into the twilight of old age. It is of my mother reading her Bible. She sits enthroned on her overstuffed blue chair, ensconced in ...

As a kid, I longed for the day when I’d be free of the heartache and horror of middle school politics. I yearned for adulthood. Adults always get along! I naively thought. I was told by teachers and parents that things would get better. You’re all ...

One clue that a fictional character has become truly influential in a culture is when that character is known by people who have never read the novels or seen the films in which that character first appeared. Many people know who Sherlock Holmes is even if they have never ...

“Don’t you know you aren’t supposed to do that? God tells us not to. You know better.” Growing up around church but frequently found breaking the rules, I was used to appeals like these to correct my behavior. There was a measure of truth in them that resonated with ...

Can getting angry ever be a good thing? That depends on how we think about anger. What is the purpose of anger? American theologian Tim Keller defines anger as “love in motion toward a threat to that which you love.” 1 This is the “righteous anger” of which we often speak. One ...

As a kid, one of my favorite books was Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. I’d giggle and groan as my mom read to me every awful thing a boy named Alexander experiences in a single day. First, Alex’s ...

Excerpts from Thoughts on Religious Experience , adapted by Lydia Sheldon Have you ever wondered if you’re the only one who can’t seem to concentrate when you sit down to pray or study God’s Word? Have you asked yourself why you ...

I confess I am afraid of the dark. Especially when it is very dark—I mean really dark—like pitch black. I used to live in New York City and went through the blackout of 2003 when all power was out for more than 24 hours. It was dark, but not ...

You pull into your driveway, turn off the car, and lower your head onto the steering wheel. You dread getting out of the car. At least on the way home, you could zone out and listen to music. Walking up your driveway and seeing the shutters that need to ...

The first words of the Lord Jesus Christ’s public ministry were, “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:15). We tend to focus a lot on the “believe the gospel” part of that charge. But how often do ...

When I lived in Mexico, one of my favorite spots was a park with a long path lining several small lakes. The lush getaway was hidden amid the chaos of the city. A few older, gigantic trees lined the path, their roots partially exposed. People often climbed the banks ...

I’m writing this from my doctor’s office. While I’d rather be anywhere but here, I’m thankful I have a doctor I can go to when I’m sick. But I’m not thankful for all the money and time spent talking to doctors with dead ends. I’m ...

The Bible is not merely a magnificent book written over hundreds of years by a variety of people in a variety of literary styles. It is God’s Word and it teaches us about his character, how to live according to his laws, and how his redemptive plan makes sense of ...

Everybody wants to be free, right? America was founded on the principle that every human being has a right to life, liberty (freedom), and the pursuit of happiness. The theme shows up all throughout American songs, literature, and movies. The cry of William Wallace at the end of the ...

Why do bad things like to happen all at once? I imagine all my greatest fears huddled together in a dimly-lit basement, plotting their coordinated attack. I’ll make her feel unsafe by making her have to find a new place to live , one cackles. ...

Adapted from “Now Is the Time Parents’ Guide” by Margi McCombs. If you’re a parent, you might not share in your kids’ joy as you anticipate weeks and weeks of no school. By mid-summer, you’ve gone through an untold number of ice pops. ...

The Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts together make up more than twenty-five percent of our New Testament—more than the letters of Paul. These books, a carefully crafted two-part account of Jesus and the early church, were written by a single author, traditionally identified as “Luke the ...

You wake up, hopeful and ready for a new day. But as you check the time, you see you’re already late for work—and you haven’t even showered yet! It’ll be okay , you tell yourself. You’re determined to have a good ...

Anxiety is close to home for me. In fact, it’s right under my roof. Though I’m not typically an anxious person, I’ve had my own dark season of anxiety. And my husband has struggled with it on a sometimes daily basis—even to the point where it has affected our ...

A striking pattern in the Gospels is the way Jesus’s disciples often seem jarred by his creative teaching style. They struggle to interpret him so much that when, late in his ministry, Jesus drops his metaphorical language and begins to tell them directly that he is going to die, ...

It’s 6 o’clock. You shuffle into the house, not even bothering to take off your shoes before plopping down on the couch. Is too early to go to sleep? you ask yourself. But then you remember all the things you still have to ...

What does the Bible say about dating or courtship? It can be difficult to know how to date in a godly way. After all, you won’t find the word “dating” in the Bible. Much of the Bible was written at times and in cultures where arranged marriages were the ...

Legend has it that when Saint Bonaventure received the news that he had been elected a cardinal, he was washing dishes in the monastery kitchen. Never very impressed with the prestige of this world, he requested that the cardinal’s hat (a symbol of honor and authority) be hung on ...

“Matt, I think you’re depressed.” The statement shocked me because my wife is not given to exaggeration. Thankfully, because I was shocked I was also speechless, so she was able to continue. For about an hour or so, my wife helped me to see things that, as a pastor, ...

You’re having a wonderful time, watching your kids play in the sand at the beach. But then, almost audibly, something tells you, What if they drown? What if they die right here, right now? It doesn’t matter if the event is unlikely. Your heart ...

This is the fifth installment in a series of blog posts addressing Jesus’s promise that his followers who abide in his Word will know the truth (John 8:31-32). Shortly after I became a Christian, the leaders in the ministry ...

As I scroll through Facebook, I see blog posts for potty training your toddler over the weekend, how to get your kids to listen, and how to get your kids to eat right. I read one post that tells moms to cloth diaper their babies and feed them homemade ...

“Hey, want to grab a bite to eat tomorrow night?” These words often send me into spirals of dread during times of financial hardship. There have been times when even spending $3 to get ice cream with friends caused a well of anxiety ...

Scripture, Animated It was January, dark by five, and bone-cold. I arrived at the party early, shivering as I slid off my coat. Inside, the tree was lit, the candles blazed, and the children pleaded for me to try their game. “We’re journeying to the Christ Child!” a ...

It’s Easter morning, and I’m tucked in between my mother and father on the church pew, shivering a bit from the walk through the spring rain. I feel the swell of the organ as the voices of the congregation rise around me in rich harmonies. The joyous fervor of ...

Growing up in the 90s, I was bombarded with messages of self-worth 247. Almost every pre-teen Disney movie or Nickelodeon TV show bedazzled itself with the same tried-and-true message: Be yourself! Don’t let anyone dull your shine! It all sounded nice, but it seemed ...

Almost every Sunday, churches across America remember Jesus’s “Last Supper” as they take communion together. Eating bread or wafers and drinking grape juice or wine, they recount Jesus’s words: “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me. … This cup ...

I became a runner when I was twenty-one. I tried running several times before, but it never stuck. I would go out for a run by myself, start way too fast, and give up with a painful side stitch after only five minutes. It was incredibly discouraging. Everything changed ...

Kim didn’t feel close to God anymore. But she thought she was OK. She was alone, yes, but she felt she could handle everything on her own. And then her life fell apart. Her heart was broken through the pain of divorce. Twice . ...

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Jesuss cry of dereliction from the cross recorded in Mark 15:33-34 haunts us each Lenten season. Traditionally, the church sets aside this season to ponder the deep mystery of God sundered from God, the eternal Son cast out from the ...

“Why are we wasting our time studying? What really matters is doing what Jesus said.” I’ve been a Christian for 12 years now, and in that time, I’ve heard countless sentiments like this—and for good reason, too. Jesus himself said, “If you love me, you ...

It was Friday night, and I was alone. I began the day envisioning a night full of laughter, deep conversation, and good food. But three minutes earlier, my friend had texted me to cancel our dinner plans. At first, I felt like ...

Sometimes in my Bible-reading, I desire to slow down in order to imaginatively enter a single scene or to deeply consider a single theological idea. In moments like these, visual art is a welcome companion, for it captivates my imagination and slows me to a meditative pace. ...

Shortly after I became a Christian, I was encouraged to memorize Bible verses. I remember deriving great comfort from memorizing Romans 8:28: “And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (ESV). Then one ...

How am I feeling? Hold on. Be right back. Gotta go watch 37 episodes of TV and do a little online shopping and bake some cookies and plan a vacation I’ll never go on real quick. That’s an actual quote from me this winter. ...

A few weeks ago, I made the mistake of trying to get quickly in and out of a bookstore. Perhaps it’s the recent proliferation of online book shopping options, and my tendency to use them instead of the walk-in variety over the past few years, that made me foolish ...

Before I was married, I read the Bible nearly every morning. It was a ritual I had developed as a teenager that carried on into my adult life. I often woke looking forward to God’s company, found in the words of Scripture. I thought of God as my friend, ...

You wonder why you even bother building a budget. Because every month—without fail—something breaks or the electric bill runs high or a forgotten bill comes in the mail. You’d almost find it funny if it wasn’t so frustrating. ...

When I was a kid, I looked for Waldo. That guy with the red hat, red-striped shirt, and hipster looking glasses. He was elusive, but I was Sherlock. I would scan the overcrowded picture from top to bottom, left to right, and look for anything that was red. Some ...

Jesus promised his followers that if we abide in his Word, it will set us free. But free from what? And what does it mean to abide? This series of articles explores how the truth of Jesus’s Word can free you. Start from the beginning ...

This Valentine’s Day, you might express your love through chocolates, red roses, or a fancy dinner. You might feel the pressure of getting the restaurant reservation you want. Or maybe you’ll give out pink candies to coworkers. You can give something to God this Valentine’s ...

For fifteen years, I read the Bible every day. I craved it in the morning like my empty stomach craved breakfast. Then slowly, the cravings stopped. My relationship with the Bible got complicated. Questions arose that I didn’t have the answers for, and the Bible became a source of ...

Surrounded by admirers and enemies, Jesus teaches in the temple. He experiences what most would consider a mark of great success. He proclaims the good news concerning himself, saying, “I am he” (John 8:24, 28 ESV), the one sent from the Father (John 8:16, 29). Then, “As he was ...

When we’re young, the wealth of time and energy most of us enjoy makes us capable of heroic things. For instance, during high school I can remember getting up every weekday morning at 4:30 to read a little Scripture. Now I am incapable of staying conscious at that hour ...

Your brain just won’t turn off. You turn on your favorite TV show and minutes go by before you realize you’re still thinking about work or chores or that weird thing you said five years ago. Or you sit down to enjoy a meal with your family, ...

I’m going to offer a foolproof suggestion to help you grow in your relationship with God this year. It’s not a resolution you can fulfill on your own, on a treadmill or in your private Bible study. But it is very simple: pray with someone else ...

If you’re like most Americans, you’re on the internet once a day or more. A 2018 Pew Research Center study showed that 77 percent of Americans are in that category. That includes 43 percent who are on the internet several times a day and 26 percent who ...

Sometimes minor incidents can turn the best mornings into the worst afternoons. Has this ever happened to you? Maybe you wake up feeling rested, take your time getting ready and get only green lights on your way to work—all the makings of a positive, productive day. ...

A new year always comes at the heels of Christmas. In the words of John Lennon and Yoko Ono: “And so this is Christmas and what have we done Another year over, a new one just begun.” The end of a year brings reflection and remembrance, and ...

This two-part series explores the mystery and wonder of the Christmas story from the perspective of angels. This Christmas, as we gather with family, sing Christmas songs, and open presents under our trees, we might find an angel ornament hanging from a branch or ...

We’ve all heard that change is good. But as often as we hear it, we still struggle with it. Why? Because most of us hate change. It upends our comfort levels, leaving us insecure and afraid. It challenges our expectations, our routines, ...

This two-part series explores the mystery and wonder of the Christmas story from the perspective of angels. Each year, I try to keep the Christmas story fresh by approaching it from a different perspective. This year, join me in considering the version in ...

As the calendar ticks closer to Christmas, one of the first carols we sing at church is “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” It always gives me goosebumps, not only because the tune is so beautiful, but because I’m reminded that this name (also spelled Immanuel), assigned to Jesus about ...

You wonder how you used to do it all: the presents, the Christmas parties, the holiday lights. What once was a delight now feels like a chore. You find yourself looking at your calendar and dreading the jam-packed weekends, the get-togethers you can’t get out ...

Growing up in New England, my family would drive out to Cape Cod, Massachusetts, each year for our two weeks of summer vacation. I have many memories from decades of these vacations, and most of them are “sense memories”—the smell of the salty breeze, the feel of the sand ...

As autumn moves along, do you find yourself bracing for the dark days to come, as I do? Encroaching darkness It’s early December in northern Minnesota. I love this state, but its bleak landscape seems to mirror my dread of the coming winter. The relentless flatness ...

The word “Thanksgiving” has taken on a whole new meaning since the Pilgrims and Native Americans celebrated together in 1621. Since that first Thanksgiving, we Americans have layered the word with thoughts of turkey roasting in a warm kitchen, pumpkin pie piled high with whipped cream, and families gathering. ...

You pinch every penny. It feels like you’re even pinching half pennies. Before payday, you think of all the extra money you’ll finally have to pay off bills and invest in your savings account. But it seems like the ...

“Go out and stand before me on top of the mountain, ” the LORD said to [Elijah]. Then the LORD passed by and sent a furious wind that split the hills and shattered the rocks—but the LORD was not in the wind. The wind stopped blowing, ...

Cruising along in Hebrews 11, the famous “faith” chapter, I am struck by verse 6: “Without faith it is impossible to please God” (NIV). Now that statement stops me in my tracks. If faith is that important to God, it should be important to me. Is faith something more ...

It’s that time of year again. The days get shorter, the air gets colder, and I get the urge to escape from the bleakness of winter. Hunched over my computer screen, I find myself researching warm places to fly to during the frigid January cold. ...

Part of our Christian call is to care for the vulnerable. In this three-part series , Kendell Borkowski explores how to live out Scripture engagement through her call to adoption and foster care. Find out how you too can act on God’s Word through discerning and responding ...

A survey of American adults , done a few years back, found that 62 percent of people believed they needed to forgive more. 58 percent said some things are never forgivable, and 60 percent said the other party would have to apologize and make changes in order to ...

Part of our Christian call is to care for the vulnerable. In this three-part series , Kendell Borkowski explores how to live out Scripture engagement through her call to adoption and foster care. Find out how you too can act on God’s Word through discerning and responding to ...

Every one of us has experienced a parental fail. If you’re a parent, you can point to those times when you messed up. (Maybe as recently as this morning!) If you’re not a parent, there are likely times when your own parents made bad decisions or ...

Why do things seem to happen all at once? Last week, I moved into a new house. This week, I leave for a foreign country. Yesterday, I waved goodbye to my sisters family as they drove away to their new home in Tennessee. In two ...

Part of our Christian call is to care for the vulnerable. In this three-part series , Kendell Borkowski explores how to live out Scripture engagement through her call to adoption and foster care. Find out how you too can act on God’s Word through discerning and responding ...

How often have you heard this? “Oh, if only my life could get back to normal.” Or … “What a crazy year this has been. I can’t wait until things get back to normal.” We wait for the dust to settle, and when it finally ...

Last Christmas, my mother wrapped a stack of antique books and gave one to every member of my family. Each was a different edition of a book that was first published in 1840, written by my paternal ancestor, Richard Henry Dana, Jr. Each had a different binding: crimson with ...

The psalms are poetry, and understanding poetry often happens in stages as we grapple with its language, images, forms, and rhythms. If a poem expresses paradox, or communicates the reality of living with ambivalence, or traces the hazy outline of mystery—we are likely to be put off, confused, or ...

As you begin reading this, perhaps you’re overwhelmed with a sense of urgency. Maybe you feel guilty for taking time out of your busy schedule to read a blog. But you’re desperate for relief from it all. Knots in your ...

Kindness seems to be a lost art these days. Our culture puts an emphasis on self-promotion and achievement rather than on caring for others. Often showing kindness is not seen as a priority, and for some, it is viewed as a weakness. Even for those of us who believe ...

The Christian liturgical year is built around feast days, seasons of fasting, and the ordinary time in between. How do we faithfully structure our eating rhythms, and how might they lead us deeper into Scripture? In this three-part series , writer Annelise Jolley explores the spiritual implications ...

I inherited many wonderful things from my father: his olive skin, his love of music, his zeal for learning. But one of the more challenging things he bequeathed to me is my unrealistic concept of time. Overly idealistic, I try to cram 47 activities into a ...

A typical Manhattan morning is noisy, crowded, and busy, and this day was no exception. Like the thousands of individuals I shared the sidewalk with, I had somewhere to be and was running late. As I hurried down Fifth Avenue, I heard a noise that stood ...

The Christian liturgical year is built around feast days, seasons of fasting, and the ordinary time in between. How do we faithfully structure our eating rhythms, and how might they lead us deeper into Scripture? In this three-part series , writer Annelise Jolley explores the connection between ...

You pull into the driveway, turn off the engine, and sit there—frozen. You don’t want to move. You dread opening the mailbox to see more bills. You hate the thought of going inside and seeing your leaky fridge you can’t afford to fix. You don’t ...

Why does a pervasive longing and restless disquiet fill our lives, despite brief moments of fulfillment? How can we satisfy this ache that is so profound it leaves us wanting something we cannot name? In The Holy Longing: The Search for a Christian Spirituality, ...

The Christian liturgical year is built around feast days, seasons of fasting, and the ordinary time in between. How do we faithfully structure our eating rhythms, and how might they lead us deeper into Scripture? In this three-part series , writer Annelise Jolley explores the connection between ...

I have no idea where I’ll be living in seven weeks. I love my room, my neighborhood, my roommates, everything. I cherish my walks home after work—and how easy it is to visit my friends who live close by. But a few months ago, I ...

Every weekday morning, after I’ve gone for my walk, had breakfast, and tidied up my living room, I unlock my front door and wait for Lilit to come over for morning devotions. About 20 years younger than me, Lilit has lived next door since our church helped her move ...

Philip Yancey’s book, The Bible Jesus Read , was a helpful and inspiring guide for me when I began reading the Bible and found myself struggling to engage with the Old Testament. His reflections helped me find a foothold to begin reading the prophets and wisdom literature. One ...

The rain splashed across the window next to the cozy couch in which I sat, nuzzled up in a warm blanket. I finally had a night all to myself. The movie I’d been waiting to watch all week was just beginning. But as the opening credits rolled—a sight that ...

I used to read my Bible every morning with a cup of coffee and a journal full of notes and prayers—a scene worthy of Instagram. That habit of consistent Bible study filled my heart with God’s voice. But I’m not there right now. After a ...

“To be honest with you…” “To tell you the truth…” “As a matter of fact…” “Honestly…” “To be frank…” How often have you heard or uttered these words, or some similar phrase? Have you ever wondered why anyone would preface a ...

I don’t belong here , I thought. My acceptance letter was a fluke. I walked through the ancient university building. The sound of posh British accents filled my ears, making me feel insecure about my uncultured accent. I tip-toed through the hallways, ...

I went to bed last night in that oh-so-familiar pre-bed state. You know the one. Contrary to every health guru blogger, doctor, and grandmother’s advice, I did not wind down. There was no long bath with salts, no cello music drifting through lavender oil-scented air. Light glared from bulbs ...

The first time I read the Bible to my oldest child, he tried to eat it. Mind you, he was barely a year old and was teething, and the colorful Bible board book I was holding did resemble every colorful object in his ...

Notice: Your Account Has Been Overdrawn. When you opened your email, these were the words you were dreading you’d see. And there they are, right in front of you. Your chest tightening, you will yourself ...

Have you ever read something that shook you? Words that you couldn’t get away from? Words that played over and over in your mind? That is what happened when I read Galatians 5:1. Even though I had seen the words many times before, this time was different. ...

When I imagine Jesus working alongside Joseph, learning his father’s trade as a carpenter, I wonder how much they talked. Woodworking has always been a noisy business, and that makes conversation hard. Imagine, though, how important those times of working and talking together must have been as Jesus was ...

Several weeks ago, I visited the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C. As I walked through an exhibition hall full of historical Bibles and replicas, I heard recordings of Scriptures being played through the speakers. To my surprise, they were in many different languages—I heard psalms in Hebrew ...